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SILAS S. PUTNAM, OF DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 74,1 3-5, dated February 4, 1868.

IMPROVBD CURTAIN-FIXTURE.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCRN:

Be it known that I, SILAS S. PUTNAM, of Dorchester, in the county of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Curtain;Fixtures, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had touthe accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of a. window-frame having my improved curtain-fixture applied thereto.

Figure 2 is au end elevation of the same, enlarged.

Figure 3 is a. longitudinal vertical section through the roll and parts connected therewith.

Figure 4 is a section on the line :r :e of g. 1, enlarged. i.

My invention relates to that class of curtain-fixtures in which the weight is dispensed with, andthe curtain Wound up by the employment ofa spring. The roll upon which the curtain is wound in thisV class of fixture, as now constructed, consists of a sheet-metal tube, which contains a coiled spring-supported on aspindle, and extending through nearly the whole length of the roll which it serves to revolve, for the purpose of winding up the curtain, and these tubes are generally-made in two parts, which slide together for a short distance at the centre like a telescope, in order that the fixture may be made to t windows varying slightly in width. These sheet-metal tubes are, however, objectionable, ou account oftheir high cost, and also on account of their liability to be bent or crushed, so as to injure the spring, and render itinoperative. i a

My invention has for its object to overcome these diiiiculties, and consists in a wooden roll, having a. chamber formed within its end, which contains a short coiled spring of suiiicient strength to wind up the curtain. A wooden roll so constructed possesses great advantages over one formed of sheet metal, from the fact that it is not liable to be injured by being bent or jammed, while it can be readily cnt off, so as to t even a very narrow window, which is not the case with a sheet-metal tube, which must be made of about the width of the Window Tto which it is to be applied, and my invention thus enables me to produce a superior spring-curtain xture.at about one-tenth of the cost of those heretofore made; and my invention furthermore consists in certain details, which will be described hereafter.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the man ner in which I have carried it out. i

In the said drawings, -A represents a window-frame, to which are attached the brackets B C, which support the roll D, which is formed of wood, and is provided with a groove, a, for the reception ofthe upper end of the curtain or shade E, which is confined in place therein by means of a rod, I, (seen dotted in iig. 4,) passing through its hem. Within the end of this Wooden roll D is formed a chamber, e, which contains a short coiled spring, d, supported on a spindle, e, the in'ner end of which revolves within a blocker collar, f, secured to the roll D by a screw, g, its outer end passing through the cap D', and being flattened, as at 5, so as to fit into the slot L, in the bracket C, which thus prevents it from being revolved with the roll D. One end of the spring i issecured to the collar f, while its opposite end is attached to the spindle e, so that as the curtain is drawn down,'tbe spring is wound up sufficiently to Vraise it entirely up, as required, the spring being of s'uieient strength to insure the whole of the curtain being raised, without requiring to be wound up previous to placing the end 5 of the spindle in the slot 7L, thus avoiding the inconvenience Aheretofore experienced from the neces sity of securing the end of the spindle when the roll was removed from the bracket, in order to Aprevent; the spring from unwinding itself. z'is a spring, Which lis coiled around a screw, j, projecting from the bracket C, and bears against the cap D', thus acting as a. brake, to stop the curtain at any desired point, and hold it in place. To the outer end of the sp1-ing t' is attached a cord, 7c, provided with a tassel, H, by pulling which the pressure of the spring e' on the cap D is relieved, so as to allow the coiled spring d to raise the curtain. The bracket C is made with a lip or projection, Z, under which the flattened end 5 of the. spindle e is held, by the action of the spring el, as seen in iig. 2, thus preventing the spring z' from forcing the end' of the spindle out of the slot L, no pin or other contrivance being required to hold it in place; and when it is desired to remove the` roll D from the brackets, it is merely necessary to press it away from the lip l, which serves to rock the end 5 of the spindle, and withdraw it from under the lip, so that it may be readily lifted 4out of the slot L. The end of the roll D, opposite to that in which the chamber c is formed, is supported by a pin, m, proj ecting'from the bracket B, which enters unopening, n, made to receive it, in the end of the roll.

I do not claim winding up a curtain. by means of a hollow barrel, containing a coiled spring, supported on n. spindle; but

What l claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The wooden roll D, having a chamber formed within its end, in combination with the device placed therein for raising the curtain, substantially as set forth.

I also claim, in combination with the above, a. spring or broke, t', operating 'substantially as set forth.

I also claim the bracket C, with its lip or projection, Z, in combination with the flattened end 5 of the spindle, substantially as und forthe purpose described.

SILAS S. PUTNAM.

Witnesses: Y* N. W. STEARNS, 'W. J. CAMBRIDGE. 

